Borough Councillors Brief #12 April 1, 2019
Community Asset Fund
This a 50% matched fund up to £25,000 and the King’s Somborne Community Building & Preschool was granted one of these in the 2018/19 year.
The 2019/20 Community Asset Fund deadlines for submission of applications are as follows;
- Friday, 22 March 2019 – Panel meeting on Thursday 18 April, for a decision by Friday 10 May 2019
- Friday 24 May 2019 – Panel meeting on Thursday 11 July, for a decision by Friday 2 August 2019
- Friday 30 August 2019 – Panel meeting on Thursday 17 October, for a decision by Friday 8 November 2019
- Friday 22 November 2019 – Panel meeting on Thursday 16 January 2020, for a decision by Friday 7 February 2020
For details of eligibility and guidance notes for applicants please visit: www.testvalley.gov.uk/CAF
Successful fly-tip prosecution
The Council continues its successful campaign of fly-tip prosecutions.
A man has been ordered to pay more than £1,000 after dumping building and packaging waste, including pallets, along the A303. Jamie Parsons left the waste in a layby along the A303 just before the slip road for Picket Twenty in July last year. Earlier this month, he admitted the charge in court following an investigation from Test Valley Borough Council.
At Basingstoke Magistrates Court on February 18, Mr Parsons was issued a £320 fine, a £95 victim surcharge and ordered to pay £956.75 in court and investigation costs.
An Andover woman has admitted to dumping a tent, bathroom shelves, a case full of paperwork and other waste in Launcelot Close after an investigation from Test Valley Borough Council.
She illegally dumped the waste in September last year and admitted the offence at Basingstoke Magistrates Court at the end of February.
Following a council investigation, The offender was fined £120 and made to pay a £30 victim surcharge, £30 compensation to the council for the clean-up of the waste, and £100 court costs.
Dog Waste Bins
In addition to those provided and serviced by the council, there are over 120 dog waste bins located throughout the borough which are owned by around forty different organisations, such as parish councils.
These bins have been emptied by the Environmental Service for many years ranging from twice weekly to monthly. However, from 1 April 2019, the way in which the Environmental Service bills for the service is changing. Feedback has shown that the dog waste bins often require emptying more frequently than originally anticipated.
An annual service charge of £200 will be made per bin. For this fee, each bin will be emptied at a frequency of no more than once a week throughout the year. This new annual service charge allows for flexibility and fairness, and enables the Environmental Service to ensure that all of the dog waste bins are emptied according to use. All bin owners are currently being written to, explaining the changes.
Cameras for enforcement officers
Civil enforcement officers in Test Valley are to be equipped with body-worn video cameras from April. Following an increase in verbal and physical aggression, the council is to equip its officers with the cameras. A public consultation has been held by TVBC in which residents supported their use.
Evidence from other authorities where they are in use across Hampshire have reported more positive interactions with members of the public. All CEOs will wear the cameras from April subject to final approval from the union.
Keep Britain Tidy
The annual spring clean is taking place from March 22 until April 23 and this time, Keep Britain Tidy is looking to inspire half a million people to join forces.
As always in Test Valley, Environmental Service will be supporting any groups taking part in collecting and disposing of litter from our streets, parks and benches by providing equipment and collecting any waste. Six groups have already signed up! To register your interest or to find out more information, visit Great British Spring Clean
Romsey Town Centre Masterplan
As part of collecting evidence for the next Local Plan and for the South of Romsey Town Centre Masterplan, a number of automated traffic counters will be installed to record vehicle movements.
These will be in place on the 19 March at eleven of the key junctions serving the town centre. This will provide a new baseline of information, taking account of all new and proposed developments which have taken place in Romsey, since the last series of studies were undertaken by consultants in 2006/07 and updated in 2012
Planning ahead for Goodworth Clatford
The first Neighbourhood Plan that will shape a community in Test Valley has now been formally approved for Goodworth Clatford. Following a referendum on Tuesday, 95 per cent of votes cast were in favour of the plan which consists of ten policies for the village. They cover design, location and the nature of any development and will hold the same weight as the borough’s Local Plan in terms of any planning decision making. The turnout for the vote was 52.2 per cent, with 316 votes approving the plan.
The Neighbourhood Plan will run until 2029 and follows work from Goodworth Clatford Parish Council, input from residents and a review from an independent examiner. It also saw approval from the borough council’s cabinet. The plan is subject to a six-week period where applications can be made to the High Court on the grounds that the plan is not within the appropriate powers and/or a procedural requirement has not been complied with.
The plan can be found here.
For more information please contact Sarah Hughes, Neighbourhood Planning Officer, on 01264 368150
Part-night Lighting in Hampshire
Hampshire County Council has advised that they will be introducing part-night lighting into residential areas on 1 April. This will see some streetlights being turned off between 1am and 4am.
HCC have launched a new page on their website giving details of the switch-off and including plans of the larger urban areas. Unfortunately, they couldn’t include all the smaller villages affected. Further details can be found here.
Test Valley Borough Landscape Character Assessment
The Landscape Character Assessment for the borough has now been completed.
The document identifies specific landscape character types and areas, which are then described and guidelines prepared for them, in order to try to help conserve their valued characteristics.
The assessment will be published on the council’s website next week. The pdf document files will be made available initially, with an intention to look at making the content available in a more interactive way in due course.
Emails will also be sent to parish councils advising them about the forthcoming publication of the Landscape Character Assessment, including a map extract indicating the landscape character areas covering each parish
Summer is coming to The Lights!
The Lights Theatre is part of my responsibility so am keen to promote it to as many as possible. The new summer season at The Lights, Andover is guaranteed to help the sun shine this summer, with a range of shows to satisfy everyone.
Brimming with comedy, music, dance, theatre and children’s shows and workshops, The Lights is bursting at the seams with talent over the summer months. Shows include Shappi Khorsandi, Ivo Graham, Hazel O’Connor, Desperado and The Nat King Cole Songbook to name but a few.
The venue is also supported by The Arena Café and Bar to enjoy a pre-show or interval drink, or just to pop in for a coffee and cake with friends. The Lights is more than just a theatre, it is a community hub for arts and entertainment in Test Valley. Why not come and see for yourself?
Andover Leisure Centre
Having been the lead councillor on this project I am proud to say the new Andover Leisure Centre opens today, exactly on time to the day and on budget. It’s a fantastic leisure centre and well worth a visit. This is of course in addition to the £1m spent on revamping the Romsey rapids recently.
Community Building & Preschool Project.
The hedge bordering the Okanagan property has now been removed after an independent ecologist confirmed no nesting birds were present. A close boarded fence has been erected in its place and a new hedge will be planted on the Recreation Ground side of the fence.
All efforts are now focused on obtaining the last £25,000 of funding through the Loddon Test leader programme. This is EU and State Aid controlled money controlled by DEFRA. It is by far the most complex grant application we have had to tackle and we are currently on our third iteration.
Currently it is planned to open the new building on 5th August,2019
Cllr Tony Ward